Bellow packings for universally movable joints,especially for ball joints



United States Patent Inventor Rudolf Gottschald Osterath, Am Meerbusch, Germany Appl. No. 598,832 Filed Dec. 2, 1966 Patented Dec. 15, 1970 Assignee A. Ehrenreich & Cie

Dusseldorf-Oberkassel, Germany Priority Dec. 3, 1965 Germany No. 22609 BELLOW PACKINGS FOR UNIVERSALLY MOVABLE JOINTS, ESPECIALLY FOR BALL JOINTS 3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 287/87, 277/178, 277/212 Int. Cl F16c 11/06, F1613 7/00, 825g 3/38 Field oi Search 277/178,

212F, 212FB; 287/9OA, 90C, 87; 74/18.]; 287/87 Primary Examiner-Samuel Rothberg Attorney-Arthur Schwartz ABSTRACT: A ball and socket joint having a bellow packing secured to the housing wherein the packing hasa thickened portion forming a beadlike ring. The ring is inserted into an annular groove having substantially symmetrical faces. A lip extends along the housing and is connected to the ring.

' which has an exterior peripheral groove" on the side of the passage opening for the joint pin for securing the bellow rim facing the joint case, and the object of my invention is to provide a simplified and improved attachment ofithe packing bellows at the case.

So farthe bellow rim facing the case is drawn in for the purpose of fixing thesame to the joint case and forms an U- shaped channel which is open towards'the'outside the back of said channel snapping into the peripheral groove of the joint case and said channel being drawn against the bottom of the peripheral'groove by means of a tension ring inserted into the channel The tension ring is subject to "outside influences. Damage to or destruction of the same results in termination of secure attachment of the bellows to the .case and of the packing at the case. The tension ring is also exerting a squeezing pressure on the bellow rim which pressure is detrimental to the elastic material of the bellows. I

According to the present inventionthe bellow rim facing the case is thickened at the inside. to form ajbeadlike ring while said ring is pretensioned and inserted into the peripheral groove of the case. Y p

By this measure itwill be achieved that thebellow packing, without any outside squeezing pressure, is subject to tight and durable attachment at the case which attachment is subject to tensional force without negatively influencing the packing and in which the bellow rim will not be exposed toexterior squeezing pressure. The thickened area fits snugly into the peripheral groove. ,1

The bellow rim facing the case may 'bethickened to form a ring projecting on either side of the bellow-wall the part of the ring facing the inside being pretensioned and inserted into the peripheral groove of the case. 5

The thickened area on either side resultsin an especially well tensioned' and favorable fit of the thickened area of the ring facing the inside with respectto the groove.

It may be recommendable to'provide the thickened bellow rim with a tip fitting snugly in the direction of the case or with such lip.

The tip or lip is favorable witha view. to the desired sealing effect and prevents dust or dirt from accumulating at the'outside engaging connection of the thickened area of the ring into the peripheral groove which, as theball joint moves, may result in a grinding action at the engaging connection.

The drawing shows two examples of a construction according to the present invention.

FIG. I is a vertical section of the side-ofthebellow packing which is attached to the joint case.

FIG. 2 is a section of a corresponding embodiment as shown in FIG. 1.

The joint case of which only a part has been shown has been identified as l. The joint pin has beenindi'cated as 2, 3 is the elastic bellow packing.

At the opening where the joint pin leaves the joint case the joint case has a peripheral groove 4 at the outside for securing the packing rim facing the joint case to the latter.

As shown in FIG. 1 the packing bellow rim facing the joint case has been thickened to form a beadlike ring 5. The

thickened area of the ring is insertedfinto the peripheral groove 4 and engages into the same under pretension. The thickened area of the ring fits snugly into the peripheral groove.

With the embodiment as shown in FIG. 2 the bellow rim fac-.

bearing on the insertion of the thickened ring under tension into the peripheral groove while said r ng continues to be able to snugly fit into the groove since, due to pretension. the ring in question is deformed correspondingly.

ln direction of the joint case the thickened bellow rim has been provided with a tip 7 or such lip which is in close contact with the outside of the joint case.

I claim: 1

l. A ball and socket joint comprising:

a. a housing; I

b. a ball member within said housing;

c. a joint pin having one end attached to said ball member and extending outwardly from an opening in one end of said housing;

d. said housing having an annular groove with a pair of sub.- stantially symmetrical faces thereon and a substantially cylindrical bottom edge connecting said faces;

e. a bellow packing having a thickened portion forming a beadlike ring, complemental inshape to the annular groove said ring being pretensioned and extending radially inwardly into said groove;

f. a tapered lip extending axially along in close contact with said housing and connected to said ring.

2. A ball and socket joint as defined in claim 1 including a projecting ring on said bellow packing extending in a radially outward direction from said beadlike ring.

3. A ball and socket joint as defined in claim 2 wherein said faces converge inwardly toward said groove. 

